Song of the Summer: Deja Vu

By Keith Boykin, in music
Wednesday, August 23 2006, 2:30AM

Beyonce in Deja VuStanding in a bar drinking a Cuba Libre last week, I engaged in a light-hearted conversation with a friend about the music being played by the DJ. "Didn't we just hear that song?" I asked. "Yeah, that was about an hour ago," he replied. "And besides, you can never play the hot song too many times."

The song we were talking about, of course, was "Deja Vu," the seemingly ubiquitous tune by Beyonce featuring her boyfriend Jay Z. And it is the song right now.

Every year there's a song of the year or a song of the winter or a song of the summer or something. This year, as the summer draws to a close, I'm convinced that "Deja Vu" is the song of the summer. You know the songs I'm talking about. They're the ones that get everybody running to the dance floor. A few years ago down in Miami, I kept hearing 50 Cent's song "In Da Club" over and over again from the car speakers driving down Ocean Drive in South Beach.

A few years before that I remember hearing Montell Jordan's "This Is How We Do It" almost every time I turned on the radio. And then there was the summer when Will Smith released a little ditty called "Summertime," which not only became a song of the summer but a summer classic.

Okay, I know this is not the deepest conversation to have on this column. Usually I wax about these topics Out in Left Field. So feel free to ignore or indulge me as you choose. But I'm wondering what else could be the song of the summer. I think Deja Vu wins the title hands down, but I know there are a lot of Beyonce haters out there who would never pick her for anything.

So here are my top choices for song of the summer, in order of rank.

  1. Deja Vu, Beyonce featuring Jay Z (This gets my vote.)
  2. Promiscuous, Nelly Furtado & Timbaland (This is clearly a good runner up.)
  3. Suddenly I See (Not a dance song but "The Devil Wears Prada" made it hot.)
  4. Crazy, Gnarls Barkley (A catchy tune but not quite the song of the summer.)
  5. London Bridge, Fergie (Loud, monotonous, repetitive, and popular.)
  6. Buttons, Pussycat Dolls (I know from past experience that the PCD have haters.)
  7. Bad Day, Daniel Powter ("American Idol" made it the song of the spring. But of the summer?)

Comments (24) reveal

Comments conceal

chris-leo
August 23 2006, 3:03AM

if memory serves me correctly, there was also 1998, the boy is mine (brandy and monica), which i heard on malibu beach for fourth of july and every day thereafter ALL SUMMER LONG.

then a few short summers ago, you couldn't get thru a good drink anywhere without hearing nelly (sing?) it's getting hot in here!!!

and i don't know about the sales or the downloads, but wherever i've been, every time a d.j. played deja vu, the energy went way up on the dance floor - ALL SUMMER LONG.

Jeff Hobbs
August 23 2006, 4:19AM

You forgot Conceited by Remy Ma. That was the song ALL of the children were claiming as their own. Deja Vu didn't have any good club remixes though. However the live BET performance track is hot. I ripped that from the video and it got used in some tv show anonymously. Hmm. lol lol

Robert
August 23 2006, 8:13AM

Here in good old Indianapolis Shoulder Lean seems to be giving Beyonce a run for her money. In the club when the guy says, "my girl got a girlfriend" my strong lesbian sisters yell the line right along with him! I dont want to hear that song one more time. I judge my song of the summer by whats hot during Indiana Black Pride. this year every drag queen in the midwest did DEJAVU. Last year I distinctly remember GOLDDIGGER as the jam of the summer!

kaccompany
August 23 2006, 8:46AM

Had it come out few weeks earlier, I think Sexy Back would definitely be on the list. It's everywhere... radio, TV... and the dance clubs can't seem to get enough.

Columbus
August 23 2006, 10:46AM

I agree with it being the song of the year (at least the first part of the year). However, everyone is now grooving to her new song, "Ring the Alarm." This song is INFECTIOUS!!!

Darian
August 23 2006, 11:03AM

As much as I hate to admit it Beyonce is doing her thing and Dejavu is a hot track ! It's been on repeat on my iPod for months. That was until a few days ago, has anyone heard Janet's new track "So Excited"? The original diva is about to give Beyonce a run for her money ! Check out my blog for more on these two amazing women. loldarian.blogspot.com

Charles
August 23 2006, 11:33AM

Summer Music 2006 (in heavy rotation on my iPod)

Take Your Mama: Scissor Sisters
Ooh La La: Goldfrapp
We Used To Be Friends: The Dandy Warhols
The Last Time: Gnarls Barkley
How We Operate: Gomez
Phenomena: Yeah Yeah Yeahs
I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor: Arctic Monkeys
Let's Push Things Forward: The Streets
Walking with a Ghost: Tegan and Sara
Leaders of the Free World: Elbow
Hold Tight London: The Chemical Brothers
Black Horse and the Cherry Tree: KT Tunstall
5 1/2 min. Hallway: Poe
The Funeral: Band of Horses
Simple Things Part 2: Dirty Vegas
Cold Wind: The Arcade Fire
Golden (live acoustic): My Morning Jacket
Breathe Me: Sia

C. Baptiste-Williams
August 23 2006, 11:35AM

I totally agree that song has become the song of the summer however I am soooo tired of hearing djs play it over and over in the club. Last month when I went out here in ATL, a dj started the song over 3 times while playing it. Regardless of how hot a song is... djs and radio can really make you begin to dislike a song.

Tyler
August 23 2006, 1:37PM

Of your choices, only Deja and Crazy are worth a damn. I don't think Beyonce has haters, I think she's experiencing a backlash to an image that folks shoulda been upset with from the get go, but are just tiring of.

Blue
August 23 2006, 1:38PM

For me, the jam was "Call on Me" by Janet and Nelly. Whenever I put on my fly shit, hopped in my ride and cruised around the District, that's what I was bumpin!

Jay
August 23 2006, 1:40PM

I don't listen to top 40 radio for that very reason. Hey Keith, I like this topic! Sometimes we need a break from all the heavy stuff we deal with as a society, on a daily basis....So this is totally cool! I also can't wait for Janet Jackson and Natalie Cole to drop their new CDs in a couple weeks. Looks like we're in for some good music this fall!

Julian
August 23 2006, 1:56PM

I gotta agree with Darian. Janet's new joint SO EXCITED is hot to def! She should have came out with that earlier this summer instead of CALL ON ME, which is a nice easy groove, but more of an album track instead of a lead single. But SO EXCITED is the shit. And using Khia (of "My Neck My Back" fame) is a stroke of genius! The easy thing to do would have been to go get Eve or Lil' Kim to guest on yet another pop/r&b record. Janet is about to bring it big-time. The video will be hot and the track will be bumping in clubs for months to come...

madprofessah[TypeKey Profile Page]
August 23 2006, 2:20PM

I agree that this is a fun topic...I would probably put Nelly Furtado's "Promiscuous" slightly ahead of "Deja Vu" but I guess the champion will probably be crowned at Atlanta Black Gay Pride Labor Day weekend...

For 2006 my song of the year was definitely "Breathe Me" by Sia.

I also think that Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy" is the track more likely to get recognized come Grammy time.

Adam Kaplan
August 23 2006, 2:35PM

I think it's gonna be "Put Your Records On' by Corrine Baily Rae. Not a club song but definitely summer and I hear it more and more.

Frederick Smith
August 23 2006, 2:54PM

Aaah, Keith. You beat me to this blog topic :-)

My two cents: Nelly Furtado's Promiscuous.
fs

Rockinrob
August 23 2006, 2:54PM

Well, contrary to many, I am a BEYONCE' fan and I'm feelin Deja Vu, but MISSY ELLIOTT is bringing the heat with "We Run This!"

Matt
August 23 2006, 5:36PM

I agree DeJaVu is the song of the summer hands down. Beyonce put emotion in the song, and showing people what dejavu can do to a person. Her next single Ring the alarm, every is getting into. The song and video is hot, and sends a strong message. Now I'm not taking anything away from janet this cd his far much better then her last dermita jo. In beyounce's case her next cd is possibly successful as her last one. Now janet has some good singles out now, but beyounce is showing a new side that's edgy, real, emotional, and refreshing. I agree Keith hands down dejavu is the song of the summer.

Terrence Says
August 23 2006, 7:46PM

I agree with that Deja Vu seems to be the song of the summer. It's a great production and one of the producers is Jon-Jon. He is from your hometown of St. Louis, Keith. Jon-Jon is on myspace. Just a little FYI.

Three songs or videos that I blast when they come on:

Everytime Tha Beat Drop - Monica
Deja Vu - Beyonce
Crazy - Gnarls Barkley

GD
August 24 2006, 2:32AM

Although I love Beyonce, and she did rule the summer when "Crazy in Love" came out, but I have to disagree with Deja Vu as this year's summer song. Hands down, that crown should go to the omnipresent "Promiscuous." That song started heating up at the beginning of May, topped the Billboard Hot 100 at #1 for 5 weeks, and, as of last week, was still hangin' on at #3, while Beyonce's song barely cracked the Top 5 and has fizzled since then. Not to mention, Nelly and Timberland's song has been all over the radio, and all over the clubs. That's just my argument.

tdubbs
August 24 2006, 3:39PM

yeah beyonce song was one of the songs of the summer hands down, the other being Promiscuous, but i agree with some of the other post, this fall the song will be "So Excited" by Janet, she is going to bring it with this one i believe.

Caliboyk
August 25 2006, 10:17PM

CALL ON ME is the song of the summer.

Beyonce is just a hot mess this time around.

Darrell Diggins
August 26 2006, 1:16AM

Nah, y'all got it all wrong. Though "Deja Vu" is hot, the real song of the summer (and beyond) will be Jody Watley's spare reinterpretation of The Material Girl's '80s dance classic, "Borderline." Go on, admit it, y'all know y'all like it. Jody's version is smooth, lilting, and oh-so grown up. You may not be not be able to pussy-pop (or is it, bounce?) to it, but you can enjoy this song in many more places than on the dance floor--and for many more seasons than a summer.

GreasyGuide
August 27 2006, 4:40PM

Gotta disagree on this one while "Deja Vu" is a good track the song of the summer was Cassie "Me and U." It was a number one track helped her land a #1 album and stole some of the thunder out of "Deja Vu" which never really made it to big on the charts being behind Paris Hilton's "Stars Are Blind" is always a problem.

DrDr
August 28 2006, 1:40AM

For me, when I go jogging, the only song that keeps me going is "Deja Vu." Behind that is "Promiscuous," then "Me & U," by Cassie. Beyonce is doing her thing, and I'm afraid that Janet may have to pass the crown to the yung'un, but by the posts, Janet must have a bomb song on the album, "So Excited," that's gonna kick butt. I agree, JJ should've come out harder that "Call On Me," and although that song is growing on me, I have yet to purchase a download of the song, while as soon as Deja hit the web sites, I downloaded it. Another overlooked jam was Cheri Dennis' "I Love You," which was had a hot hook, but no real airplay and wasn't even released as a single. But at any rate, I will keep my eyes on Janet cuz you can't count her out as baaaad as she is and will always be.